but that it should be holy and without blemish God chose us that we might be holy and without blame and Jesus Christ has such a Love to us even as the Father has that we should be holy and without blame and my Friends the Spirit is all one with the Father and the Son Does the Father choose us and does the Son give himself for us that we might be so then comes the Spirit and resolves that he will make us so and therefore you shall find the Apostle in his Epistle to the Galatians giving us an account of the fruits of the Spirit in the fifth Chapter at the 18 verse if so be ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law And then as to the energy the workings of the Spirit why says he in the 17 verse The Spirit lusteth against the flesh The fleshly part in us is an unbelieving part that is against living out of our selves upon Christ ay but the Spirit that works contrary unto these natural lustings and natural workings of the flesh for says the Apostle v. 22. The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith c. By comparing these passages together you may raise this observation that even as the Father and the Son are concerned for our practical as well as personal holiness so also is the Spirit he lusts and he works and he strives and he never leaves lusting and striving and working against the flesh until he have brought forth these fruits of Love Joy Peace and Long-suffering and Gentleness and goodness and Faith c. So that this is the first particular God has chosen us unto personal and practical holiness and if you do observe it this Spiritual Blessing is also ensured unto us in Christ with all the contents of it and with all the proper effects of it May a Poor Creature say But how shall I come to attain to this And what security can I have of it Why says he according as he hath chosen us in him he hath Blessed us in him according as he hath chosen us in him and now says he he hath Blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in him But then 2. The Second Blessing that the Apostle takes notice of is the great Spiritual Blessing of Adoption which doth not only discover a Relation to God but also a sutable frame and a sutable becoming sense of the Relation a sense of it and a frame comporting and complying with it This you have an account of in the 5 verse Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children to himself c. I pray do but observe what the Apostle here doth discover concerning the Nature of this it is the Adoption of Children to himself The God and Father of our Lord Jesus hath ensured our Adoption with all the Priviledges with all the Blessed consequents of it unto us in Christ Jesus 'T is the God and Father of Christ Jesus and he that is so is in Christ Jesus a God adopting us unto himself by Jesus Christ This you shall find the Scripture frequently making mention of says the Apostle to the Romans We have not received the Spirit of Bondage but the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of Sons and what is the proper work of the Spirit of Adoption You shall find what it is Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Says the Apostle ye are Sons ay but the Sonship is managed by the Spirit ye are not only Sons but the Spirit witnesseth with your Spirits that ye are so and that is his proper work and what is the issue of that Why says he ye cry Abba Father you may go to God in your distresses and you may go to God under your Temptations and you may go to God as the God and Father of Jesus Christ under all your straits and troubles and under all your Spiritual wants and you may say unto him Father hear and Father help Says the Apostle ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear Indeed under the Law when they were under the Power of the Spirit of Bondage they stood at a distance from God they were under fear but now says the Apostle ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby ye cry Abba Father It is as natural a Priviledge to a Child of God and it is as Natural Language to gracious hearts to cry Abba Father as it is for a Child to cry to his Father Father or Mother ye have received the Spirit of Adoption says he and the same thing you have the Apostle giving us an account of Gal. 4. v. 4 5. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Why what then That we might receive the Adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons says he God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father I would only observe this to you which it may be is not so obvious to every apprehension Compare but these two Scriptures together and you shall find that in the one he is the Spirit of Adoption as he is the Fathers Spirit and in the other he is the Spirit of Adoption as he is the Spirit of the Son for saith he he has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father The Spirit of the Lord Jesus the same Spirit that influenced the Humane Nature and in which Jesus Christ always prayed to God as a Father and always walked with God under all variety of providences as with a Father the same Spirit he hath sent forth and this same Spirit that cryed Abba Father in Christ crys Abba Father also in Christians 3. The third Spiritual Blessing that the Apostle makes mention of in this Chapter is an universal acceptance of Christians in all cases notwithstanding all disobligements one would wonder that a child should sin and though the sin be rejected yet the child stand still in a state of acceptation though the Father scourge the Child yet he doth not unchild the Child This you have an account of verse 6. to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved I pray do but observe it There is nothing that a Christian can propose to himself there is no case that the Devil and the world can expose a Christian to but the Christian is still accepted in Christ Jesus and that notwithstanding all his fears and under all his Jealousies and in the face of all his conscience accusations and his own self-condemnations yet the Child is accepted the Christian is accepted who hath made us says he accepted in the beloved my friends this is a great Spiritual Blessing indeed There are many that have their hearts greatly concerned and their Spirit wonderfully
are blessed with this in Christ Jesus 6. Another Spiritual Blessing is this A reserved Inheritance of all full and Spiritual and comprehensive blessednesses My friends here we have to allude to the people of Israel in the wilderness it may be some few Cottages or Tabernacles that are transitory as those People had some moving resting-places Here is a little grace planted a little faith and a little love and this grows up pretty likelily and pretty promisingly but what is this to the inheritance where that which is in part shall be done way where there is no such thing as grace in part no such thing as love in part no such thing as joy in part no such thing as communion in part for that which is in part shall be done away I think the Apostle speaks fully to our purpose where he tells us of an inheritance reserved 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ You see the Apostle mentions the same Relations that are here in the Text why what is the matter Blessed Peter Why says he the matter is this The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you verse 4. Why friends what is this inheritance Why there I shall inherit the Covenant in its fulness I shall not say that either I want any Law in my heart or in my Head in my inward or in my outward man I shall have no reason to complain that I want the least blessing of the least promise Why Christians this is your inheritance and are not here Spiritual Blessings that are the proper matter of this Inheritance Now the Apostle tells us that he hath blessed us with this in Christ verse 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to â—he purpose of him that worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will How far Christ is concerned in this Spiritual blessing â—ou may easily observe if so be that you â—ither consider the type or the antitype as â—o the type which was Joshua or Jesus Moâ—â—s must not bring the people into their Inheritance indeed in Moses's Time they might have some Bunches of the Grapes of the good land but Moses must not bring them in it must be Joshua that must bring them in So I say my Friends it is not this or that or the other but the Lord Jesus alone that must bring his people into the possession of this reserved inheritance here is indeed a Cluster of Spiritual Blessings infinitely exceeding all the capacities of the Sons and Daughters of men though most of all inlightned by the Spirit to comprehend in whom says he we have obtained an Inheritance who is this whom It is the Lord Jesus Christ to gather together in one all things in Christ in whom we have obtained an Inheritance As much as if the Apostle had said as the Apostle doth in Christs own case we see not yet all thingâ— put under him So I may say you have noâ— yet obtained the Inheritance no more had Paul no more had these Ephesians but yeâ— he speaks as one having full assurance in whom we have obtained answerable to that of our Lord in Joh. 14.2 I go to preparâ— a place for you And the Apostle takeâ— it up and otherwise phrases it Heb. 6 2â— Whither the forerunner is for us entred speaking of the Inheritance that is above whither cur forerunner is for us entered so that this another Spiritual Blessing wherewith we are blessed in Christ Jesus 7. But another spiritual blessing wherewith we are blessed in Christ Jesus is this The Seal and Earnest of what is to come and the very Spirit is made the very matter of this Blessing wherewith he hath blessed us in Christ Jesus I pray do but cast your eyes upon verse 13. In whom ye also trusted still he continues his discourse and fixes Christ at the bottom of all in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise verse 14. which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory Here is a comprehensive spiritual blessing indeed which is the Seal of the eternal Inheritance and the Earnest of it as if the Lord should say when he sends forth his Spirit go my holy Spirit go and seize upon such a heart and seal up such a Soul for the eternal Inheritance and as if he should say to his Son Lo my Son I have given my Spirit to such a one whom thou hast shed thy blood for and lo I send him as the Earnest of the Inheritance that thou hast purchased as the Earnest of my eternal love to thee as the Earnest of my eternal Communion with thee as the earnest of my answering of thy prayer and the import of all thy blood Lo I have sent him and lo he is to them an Earnest Now Sirs this is a great blessing a very glorious blessing indeed God might have designed and kept the design in his own breast or he might have divulged it yet have given us no earnest or pledge of it what needed all that between God and us Christ might have taken his word and we had good reason to rest upon any report that the Lord Christ makes of his confidence in the Father but the Lord Christ and the Father did concur together in this that we should have the Blessing notwithstanding all notwithstandings and that it should be sure to all the seed Yet for our further satisfaction says the Lord behold I give my promise and I give the promised Spirit and that Spirit shall be my Seal upon their hearts and my seal upon their understandings so that look into your hearts and into your understandings and upon this inquiry whose are you Do but make a reflection whose Seal whose Image whose Superscription is this You shall find that the Spirit of the Lord is as it were Gods assuring Seal Ay but it may be you will say this is a great while to come It may be Ten or Twenty or Thirty or Forty years to come Well if those do not satisfy you that you are sealed the Spirit also shall be an Earnest of the Inheritance an Earnest of the future personal blessedness and glory which God hath blessed you with in Christ It is not only Heaven but the personal condition and state of Saints in Heaven that is the glory of their Inheritance and this is another thing 8. But then in the 8th place another Spiritual blessing wherewith the God and Father of Jesus Christ does bless Christians is this Practical experiences of the power of Gods grace
disquieted about their acceptance O that I did but know that God did accept me O that I did but know that I were accepted in Christ Jesus Why truly Christians this is one of your proper Spiritual Blessings a Blessing which the Spirit is principally concerned in the manage of He hath made us says he accepted Though there be never so little grace in the heart yet it is accepted two Mites that the poor Widow cast into the Treasury you know what acceptation it found with the Lord Jesus Christ Verily says he I say unto you she hath cast in more then they all they of their abundance have cast into the Treasury but she hath cast in even all that she hath O Sirs if you have never so little grace cast it into your prayers and cast it into your Sermons and cast it into imploy it in your conversations Verily will Christ say this man hath done more then such a one he had but a few gifts and he imployed them all he hath but a little grace and behold I see this little iâ— every duty Verily he hath done more like a Christian then others that have a great deal and yet not half so much considering their proportion to be found in their duties The hand of thâ— Lord hath been open and hath fille many of your understandings with a great deal of Gopel light but alas there is but little of it seen in your lives and in your hearts it may be you are filled with grace ay but there is but little of this grace to be seen in your duties There comes a poor humble Christian with his Mite to pray and with his Mite to hear and behold he casts all in and the Lord sees that all the grace that is in his heart he puts forth in every duty and he exerciseth in every Ordinance Verily says Christ I say unto you she hath done more then they all Therefore my friends let me tell you the God Father of Jesus Christ for still we must consider him under that notion I say the God and father of Jesus Christ hath made us accepted in the beloved if there be any thing that is unacceptable in thee if there be nothing to be seen in thee but what is disobliging yet the Lord hath made you that are Christians accepted in the beloved not accepted in your own graces not accepted in your selves not accepted for this or that or the other but all your acceptance is still in Christ who hath made us accepted in the beloved Now my friends that the Spirit of the Lord doth manage this this also is evident if we do but consider what it is wherein our personal acceptation lies doth it lie in our gracious qualifications which we receive from Jesus Christ why those we receive by the Spirit doth the Lord accept us upon the account of the exercise of any grace in any duty why truly all this is also from the same Spirit There are says the Apostle diversity of gifts and diversity of operations ay but still there is one and the same Spirit It is the same Spirit It may be there is a great deal of humility in thy duty or in thy heart and thou art accepted in Jesus Christ but how camest thou by this humility how camest thou by this meekness why the Spirit of the Lord hath rested upon thee in the form of a Dove as the Spirit of meekness and as the Spirit of lowliness and as the Spirit of selfdenial The same spirit that rested upon Christ the same Spirit also hath rested upon thee So that you see also in this third great Spiritual Blessing how far the Spirit and how much the son is also concerned to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved O my friends that there should be such a mystery as this and all the Priviledges advantages of it should be ensured to all the seed in Jesus Christ It is God that makes us and not we our selves accepted in the Beloved wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved I will break off with this one short Reflexion upon what I have already delivered VSE You see my Brethren in the worst of times here is the Best of Blessings ensured in the worst of circumstances here are the gloriousest priviledges in safe hands for you what can you desire more then all Spiritual Blessings of the God and Father of Jesus Christ what can You desire more It may be he hath Blessed such a one with temporal Blessings such a one he hath Blessed with wisdom and such a one with strength and such a one with riches and honour and the like ay but my Friends he hath not blessed every one with all Temporal Blessings says Esau to his Brother Jacob I have enough my Brother ay but it was only Jacob It was only Israel that had prevailed with God that could say I have all My Brother I have all things what did he mean I have God for my exceeding great reward and I have all things in the Covenant I have all things in the blessing I have all things in the promise Now Christians take an occasion from hence to make an estimate of the vast difference that there is between a Christian indeed and one that is but a Christian in shew one that lay under great worldly disadvantages and yet a Christian and one that lay under or that is advanced up to the top of all secular advantages and blessings and preferments even by God himself Would you know Christians where the difference lay why it lies here the one hath all and that for ever and the other hath but what he hath in part and that not secured neither worldlings they have not their greatness in Christ they have not their honour given them in Christ they have not their Relations given them in Christ No no my Friends but now the meanest Christian hath not only all things but all things ensured him in Christ he is not only a better man then the greatest worldling is upon the account of the extent but also upon the account of the Method and Manner wherein all is give him and secured to him There is not a person in the world that can say or ever could say I have all things Nebuchadnezzar in all his glory could not say I have all things But a poor Christian a poor persecuted Paul could cry out I have all things and I can do all things even then when he had nothing at all in comparison says he I have all things and abound Now Christians I pray you rejoyce in your condition And I beseech you sinners become all Christians for whilest you are as you are you have but some things and what you have is all out of Christ but do but become Christians do but give up your heads and hearts to the Lord and then you may say Blessed be the God and father of
the Lord Jesus who hath blessed me with all Spiritual blessings in Christ SERMON II. Ephesians 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ THE design of the Apostle in these words seems to be to set the Crown upon the head of Christ and to discover that it is the intendment of the Father in all his blessings that he bestows upon his Children to do so too the Father receives nothing from Christians but he receives it from them in Christ and the Father gives nothing to Christians but he gives it to them in Christ God was always in Christ reconciling the world to himself and he will be always in Christ a God and a Father to those that he hath chosen out of the world and reconciled Though he be the God and Father of our Lord yet he doth not look upon it as an act below his grace to bless those that he hath given to Christ 'T is not below him to avouch the relation to them also as he is the Father of our Lord Jesus he blesses all that are in Jesus with all Spiritual blessings in Jesus That Proposition which we insisted upon was this Doct. That God hath blessed every Christian in Christ with all Spiritual blessings Christians have more then the world is worth in possession but the reversions of a Christian are not to be compared they are not to be estimated with any thing that God can give in this present world It is not temporal blessings the blessings of the land of Canaan but it is Spiritual blessings the blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven that the God and Father of Jesus Christ hath stated upon all his Children in Christ Jesus Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ Because I intend this discourse only as occasional I shall therefore confine the resolve and the dispatch of the doctrinal part at present to this one inquiry Quest What are those Spiritual Blessings with which it hath pleased the Father to bless his people in Christ Ans In the opening of this I premised this in general that there is an universality annexed to every particular Spiritual blessing It is not only annexed to the sorts of blessings but to every blessing of every sort I could mention but Three The last that we mentioned was this an universal acceptation with the Father in all cases notwithstanding all disobligements O says a Poor Christian if I were but satisfied that God would accept me with all the disobliging notwithstandings of my heart and life and of my Duties how happy should I be and indeed so thou wouldst be if God would accept thee notwithstanding all thy unprofitableness notwithstanding all the treachery of thy heart notwithstanding all thy opposition to grievings of his blessed Spirit notwithstanding all the dishonour that thou hast done unto himself his Son and his blessed Spirit if the Lord would but accept thee thou wouldst be happy indeed why Christian here is thy spiritual blessedness at the 6th verse to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved Lord may every poor Christian say what am I I accepted in the beloved I accepted in the beloved Son In the beloved Saviour In the beloved high Priest Lord what manner of grace is this This is not the kindness of man Christians let me tell you it is Gods work of grace to make you accepted and it is your Priviledge in grace to be accepted he hath made us to be accepted in the beloved if there be any thing of unworthiness in you there is the blood of the beloved to ballance it if there be any thing of emptiness or Barrenness there is the fulness of the beloved to counterpoise that if there be any unworthiness discovered in any of your Relations or carriages to God there is the full import of all his Relations to God to make all even Though you do not always carry it as Children yet this Son of God always did and though you do not always live like Servants yet this Son of God did to a point and though you do not always carry it like friends to God and like the people of God yet behold the head of all he carries it like such a one God may have abundance 't is like to charge against you But this is not your business whether you have much grace or little grace or whether you exercise more or less The acceptance must be in the beloved Thus far we have proceeded 4. Another spiritual blessing wherewith God hath blessed Christians in Christ is the revelation of his secrets God may reveal the secrets of his Providence to others as I might instance in diverse but his saving secrets those are made manifest only in Christ Jesus to Christians many have a dogmatical discursive knowledge which God hath given them but here is the eclipse of the glory of all their knowledge It is not given them in Christ here is a poor Christian that is but broken and now and then hath a little glimmerings of the light of God and a little insight into the secrets of his grace Now my friends this little light and these little glimmerings that he hath into the mysteries of the will of God these are all given him in Christ Jesus he sees sin in Christ and he sees the beauty of grace and holiness in Christ The revelation of Gods Gospel will about sin and holiness The beauty of holiness and the exceeding sinfulness of sin is made manifest to him in Christ Jesus I pray do but observe how the Apostle expresses himself in the 9th verse Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself The Apostle in the 18th verse makes it his particular supplication to God for these Christian Ephesians that says he the Eyes of your understandings being inlightned that ye may know what is the hope of your calling There is the mystery of his will manifested in particular in the hope of your calling You are called off from sin there is hope in that calling and you are called unto duty and there is hope in that calling and you are called off from all your Relations unto the world as you stand in the World and there is hope in that calling now says the Apostle I pray for you that your eyes may be inlightned that you may know what is the hope of your calling and my Friends you will find that the Apostle doth wrap up them together with himself in the 9th verse and tells us there that he hath made known unto us the mystery of his will and yet for all that he prays that the eyes of their understandings may be inlightned that they may know what is the hope of their calling and what is the
Riches of his inheritance in the Saints Now I shall shew you that all this is vouchsafed to Christians in Christ you shall find the Apostle Col. 2. v. 3. telling us that in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Why what wisdom and knowledge Why that wisdom and that knowledge that the eternal grace of God did design for Christians so that we are blessed with this wisdom and knowledg in Christ Look into your understandings and hearts alas there is but little there there is no treasures there but look into the Lord Jesus and there are all treasures even for foolish Christians hid and lodged there in him is hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge And that the Spirit of the Lord is alike concerned in this you shall observe if you do but consult the Apostles experience in 1 Cor. 2.9 Where he speaks of things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever entered into the heart of man to conceive But says he at the 10th verse God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit The revelation of the secrets of the heart of God is made manifest or is made known unto Christians by the Spirit of God The Apostle prosecutes illustrates this mystery by that which is commonly observ'd amongst men in v. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him I do not know the grace that is in another mans heart I do not know the secret purposes and devices that are in your hearts but your own Spirits are privy to them even so says the Apostle the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Christians let me tell you there is no saving secret in the heart of God the Father there is no saving secret in the heart of Christ the Son but the Lord hath blessed us with the knowledge and the Revelatioâ— of that in Christ for so the Apostle says in the 16 verse For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him but we have the mind of Christ Why Blessed Paul how camest thou a persecutor to know the mind of Christ An injurious and Blasphemous wretch how camest thou to be so intimate with that Jesus whom thou persecutedst even unto death in his members Why the Apostle tells you plainly not by any natural advantage of learning though he was a learned man not by any advantage of his parts though he was a man of clear natural understanding and apprehension but says he we have the mind of Christ and that by the Spirit of God by the Spirit of Jesus Christ So that you see here is another great Spiritual blessing a revelation of saving secrets 5. Another spiritual blessing that I shall superadd is this An Vniversal heading under Christ or incorporation with Jesus Christ One would think it a wonder that ever such a man that was a limb of the Devil should be made a member of the Body of Jesus A Notorious Drunkard a Notorious Blasphemer and a dreadful and implacable persecutor of Christ and his ways that ever such a one should be incorporated into and made a member of the Lord Jesus is not this a spiritual blessing indeed A blessing wherein the Spirit of God is principally concerned in the manage of this the Apostle takes notice of verse 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on earth even in him And more plainly Ephes 4.12 Where he doth expresly give us an account of the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ and he tells us there that all the gifts that were given by Christ were for the edifying of his body Do but reflect upon a passage in the 2. Chapter and there you shall see the state of sinners discovered to be as desperate and as vile as you can possibly suppose a sinners state to be Dead in trespasses and sins Children of disobedience in whom the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit of Hell did effectually work Why Lord shall ever those be incorporated shall ever those be made members of so blessed a body as the Body of Jesus Nay this is not all but says he Ye were Children of wrath The Wrath of God smoaked against you and all the threatnings and denunciations of Gods wrath against sinners belonged to you just as an inheritance belongs to a proper and right Heir and that is not all neither but verse 12. Ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the World Lord shall such as these be made members of such a blessed Body as the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ is Ay my Friends here is the great blessing that God hath Blessed us with in Christ Jesus that notwithstanding all this misery and notwithstanding the desperateness that doth attend this miserable Estate yet they are to be gathered together and headed all under one Jesus I pray take notice of one expression in the conclusion of this Chapter where he calls them all complexively considered his Body and his fulness verse 23. Which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Now my Friends this is another Spiritual blessing that God hath blessed us withal and that is heading of us under or an incorporating us into the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ so that there can be no Blessing no priviledge belong to the Head but of necessity it falls naturally down upon the Body So the head anointed the Garments shall be drenched not only Aarons Beard but the very Skirts of his Garments shall be drenched throughout Is the Head advanced into glory I tell you the Head in glory will never rest till the members of his Body that are in a vile deplorable forlorn condition here be made like unto him Father says he I will John 17.24 that those also whom thou hast given me be with me c. One would wonder that God should cast off the seed of Abraham and implant Gentiles in their Room and yet you see in Rom. 11. the Lord does thus and the Apostle concludes with this verse 33. O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God That the natural branches should be cut off and Idolatours that had no promises Idolatours that had no Relations at all but only of Creatures to God and who had done more to violate their Relations and forfeit all the Priviledges of their Relations then the very Beasts of the Field and the most venomous and poisonous Toad ever did yet says the Apostle The natural branches were cut off that you might be graffed in O the depth of the riches of Gods grace Surely Christians this is a great Spiritual Blessing that the Lord is pleased to vouchsafe to us to head us under Christ We
to you that whenever you meet with the word Jacob in Scripture you may conclude that the Holy Ghost doth intend a discovery both of the Politick and of the Spiritual weakness of that People and when you meet with the word Israel then it hath relation to that name which the Angel of the Lord gave to Jacob upon his wrestling with him and it doth import the strength of the People saving says he that I will not utterly destroy the House of Jacob though they be never so contemptible though never so weak yet says he for all my anger and for all my threatnings for all my Justice and Holiness as if he had said yet I will not utterly destroy the House of Jacob. The like reserve of grace you have in the words of the Text yet shall not the least grain fall upon the Earth though the Lord seems to cast them out of his hand and out of his care yet his Heart works towards them if there be but among a heap of Tares a grain of Wheat though it be never so little if there be but the Seed of God there is Seminal Vertue in it yet says God shall not the least grain fall upon the Earth And the reason of Gods kindness in general is this the enmity of the Nations is against the grains and the kindness and grace of God doth extend unto the least grain and therefore notwithstanding the enmity of Hell and of those that are spirited by Hell yet God hath said Lo I will command and I will sift he will command and he will secure he will secure the least grain that it falls not to the Earth Brethren you that have attained to greater measures of grace think not your selves unconcerned in this word the time may come you may see little enough and those that have most grace are many times least sensible The observation was this Doct. That in the most desolating general Common Calamity of professing Nations God will look after the least of those that are sincere professours It is the least grace in the heart and the least Christian in the company that Gods Eye is upon and the Lords heart is towards and the Lords Arm is about yet saies he shall not the least grain fall to the Earth I shall proceed to what remains and that is yet to give you a further account of the Lords kindness and of the Lords gracious care of his little ones in the most perilous and dangerous times Temptations are high persecutions are high corruptions are high yet if there be but the least grace thy Soul shall not miscarry In the further prosecution of this Subject I shall only commend to your serious consideration these four Scripture observations 1. And the first is this Therefore the least Christian that hath the least grace shall not eternally miscarry and fall to the Earth when the Chaff and Tares do Because that the Lord in the manage of the dispensations of his providence will so deal with Christians as he dealt with Christ and let me tell you that Christ and the Spirit of Christ are also consenting to and concerned in this resolve What a poor thing was it that all the Roman Empire and all the state of the People of Israel the Jews should be concerned against a Carpenters Son and yet they could not carry it he singles out only a few Fisher-men for his Companions and yet they were not able with all their interest and with all their learning to bring any thing to any period against their attempts The Prophet Isaiah in the 53 Chap. of his prophecy gives us an account of the first sense of the People of Israel which was the grand practical principle of theirs and the Romans resolve against him the 2 verse For he shall grow up as a tender plant as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Is this the Messiah as if they should say which is the matter of all the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament No this is not he is not this say they when he did appear the Carpenters Son the poor Child of the contemptible Carpenter whose Father and Mother is with us We know him well enough and yet notwithstanding all the meanness of his descent and the unlikelyness of his producing his designed success in the World yet he carries on all before him whilst he was living the Pharisees themselves and the Scribes were afraid of him If we let this man alone say they the World will run after him and the Romans will come and take away our Nation from us Such a secret sense they had of the success and a secret power that did begin to appear and would further appear in the management of his ministry Now my friends we grow up all as roots out of dry ground Take a willow and plant it upon the top of a mountain which is a dry sandy ground it is not like to grow there so take a Christian that hath but a little light and but a little grace plant him in a wicked family amongst a company of wicked Neighbours you will think he is not likely to make any thing of his Christianity there Father is against him Mother against him Brethren against him every mans hand is against the new Professor and yet he grows And this Root that is growing out of a dry ground hath many a pluck Satan gives a pluck at it and the World gives a pluck at it and yet the root continues in the ground and this root that is thus planted in this dry ground an unlikely place to produce any thing to any Spiritual or eternal purpose goes on its way why surely my friends this must needs discover a great reason why Christians that are unlikely to be secured unlikely to live why they should both live and be secured in their life why Because the Lord Jesus Christ was so dealt withal I shall give you two illustrations of this 1. And the first is this It is the general design of the Gospel that all things should be so carryed on and managed that it might be to the advancement of free grace To cut off as the Apostle says all occasion of boasting in our selves for if we do consider what we have to boast of alas you that are strong you were as weak as others you that have your Hearts as you apprehend now full of grace they were once as empty as others and you that are now as it were in full communion and fellow ship with God you once stood at an equal distance with others what have you to boast of When the Lord would cut off all occasion of boasting from the People of Israel says he thy Father was an Ammorite and thy Mother an Hitite and thy Birth and Nativity were of the Land of Canaan here I pray consider in the sequel of this
squander among the People and here were two or three and there was another two or three or it may be more in a company that skulkt away from his force and cruelty into by ways and by places endeavouring to shift for themselves and save their lives I pray do but observe now how the Lord comes upon Edom that was the Off-spring of Esau Jacobs Brother in the 10. v. of that prophecy for thy violence against thy Brother Jacob shame hath covered thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever Lord might Edom say didst not thou say thou wouldst utterly destroy this People from the Earth and I will hiss for the Assyrian and Lord hast thou not said that Assyria is the rod of thine anger in thy hand well my Friends notwithstanding all that could be objected in a way of reason see how God treats with Edom v. 1.4 neither shouldst thou have stood in the cross way to cut off those of his that did escape c. This I only produce to discover to you the severity of Gods threatning against those that offer disturbance and discouragement to his People in their weakest capacities and conditions The like you may observe in the Revelations and in the other passages of the New Testament but I will not any further proceed upon that so that you see I have opened a further reason of the Lords special care and tender regard that he hath over his own People 4. The greatest promises lay hold upon those that are in the meanest condition upon those that are in the poorest weakest unlikeliest condition Be not discouraged Christian at the unlikeliness that is upon thy Soul as to the grouth of grace though your grace be little and your discouragements great yet let me tell you there are greater promises in the word proportionally considered made to you than to others I pray observe what the Psalmist say's in the 72. Psa 16. v. There shall be a handful of Corn in the Earth upon the top of the Mountain the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon and they of the City shall flourish like the Grass of the Earth They are in a prosperous condition shall flourish like the Grass of the Earth those that prosper in seculars or in temporals they shall not lose their blessing but shall flourish like the Grass of the Earth but says he there shall be at that time when these things shall be there shall be a People that shall be cast into the World as a handful of Corn that is cast upon the top of the Mountain alas what can you expect from a handful of Corn that is cast upon the top of a mountain but that it should be withered and dried up why because there want Earth and Soil to nourish it and the spirit of the Earth to maintain it therefore it cannot be expected that it should come to any maturity Yet says the Lord when they of the City shall flourish like the Grass then the handful of Corn that is upon the top of the Mountain that is exposed to wind and weather the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon they shall grow like the Cedars in Lebanon so that you see my Friends those that are unlikely those that are meanest that are but as a handful of Corn cast upon the Mountains yet I tell you you are under as great a promise as any under their greatest external flourishing they of the City shall flourish as the Grass of the Earth but those that are cast upon the Mountain shall shake like Lebanon Appl. And there are three Inferences that I shall desire to manage and so conclude the first shall be in relation to those that are the least Christians the second shall have relation to those of a bigger size and the third Inference shall have relation to those that are neither great nor little Christians but no Christians at all VSE 1 to those that are least they are grains but they are the least grain my meaning plainly is this and I think it is the meaning of the Holy Ghost those that have least grace and those that have least gifts those that have done least for God and those that have enjoyed least of God those that have observed least of Gods goings in his Sanctuary that have experienced least of Gods workings upon their Spirits my design Christians is principally upon you and therfore I shall say three or four things particularly to you and the first is this be not discouraged at your littleness of grace if there be but truth of grace There were many when the second Temple was built and they saw it did not amount to the glory of the first Temple they fell a weeping and were greatly discouraged and God was fain to raise them up a Prophet on purpose to bear up their spirits O there was not that Gold there was not that outward Glory and Splendor that there was upon the first Temple that was destroyed and God raised them up a Prophet and what says the Prophet to them says he You saw the Glory of the former Temple and I tell you says he that the Glory of the latter Temple shall be greater than the Glory of the former They were discouraged at the plainness and meanness of the building and of the furniture and adorning of the Temple nay says God if that be the thing do not trouble your selves about it So I say my Friends you may take an estimate of others Hearts and compare others Hearts with yours and you fall a murmuring and discouragement seizes upon you nay but let me say to you in the name of the Lord if there be but a little grace be not discouraged at the littleness of it you have reason to be humbled that it is no more that is very true but yet you have no reason to be discouraged because there is a little and the Lord hath commanded me to tell you that it lay in his power and within the reach of his grace to make the glory of that little grace that is in your Heart far exceed the Glory of that great deal that you observe to break forth in the Hearts of others and therefore be not discouraged I shall urge this under these two considerations 1. Thou seest it may be what is in thy heart but thou doest not know what is in Christs hand for thy heart Thou seest what comes out of Christs hand to thy heart but thou doest not see what remains in Christs hand for thee therefore be not discouraged because it is little I pray do but observe a passage in Zach. 12.8 In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem And he that is feeble among them That is he that hath little Courage little spirit little strength the word signifies he that is so feeble that he is faln amongst them faln among the Croud by reason of his feebleness he that is feeble among them At that day shall be as David
of a better Nature and these you see are Blessings without Limitation all Spiritual Blessings are bestowed upon Christians Surely then Christians may cry out and have reason to cry out O! What a God have we O what a Father have we O! What Fatherly grace works in the heart of our Father who has Blessed us not with some few but with all Spiritual Blessings there is not a Blessing wanting no one shall want his Blessing Doct. 2 That all the Blessings that God has bestowed upon Christians are all secured to and for Christians in Christ Jesus Christians with all the advantage of all their possible grace on this side Glory are not fit to be trusted that is to be made the sole Trustees of any one Blessing that is wrapt up in any one promise whatsoever They are not fit to be solely trusted with their pardon not fit to be solely trusted with their peace Grace hath found out a better way Grace hath chosen a better method and hath assured all and betrusted all for Christians in the hand of Christ Who hath Blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus says the Apostle Doct. 3 That the God and Father as the God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath thus Blessed and thus betrusted Christians Blessings in the hands of Jesus Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. You may observe in other Scriptures a like Introduction of the Apostles Epistles with this in 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us c. Has any Christian any comfort why it is the God and Father of Jesus that gives them comfort has any Christian any grace given him Grace be to you and Peace from the Lord Jesus Christ He is not only our Father but he is the Father of our Lord Jesus and as he is the Father of Jesus he is the Father and Fountain of all our mercies These are the three principal Propositions that lie in the words It is only the first of these that I design if the Lord please to make the Subject of this days discourses and my design in discoursing upon it is this that I may if it be the Lords pleasure raise up your minds and fix your Hearts upon what is Spiritual and unseen God never estimated a Christian by any visible Blessings he gave him here they are not always the best Christians that are the richest or honourablest but he estimates a Christian in the ballance of the Sanctuary he is weighed with all his Spiritual Blessings if thou beest never so accomplisht if thou beest never so Blessed with temporals yet let me tell thee thou maist be found light and thou maist be found too light too when God comes to weigh thee But God estimates and weighs a Christian by what is Spiritual in him by what is unseen in him And therefore Christians I pray attend unto the opening of this inquiry Qu. What are those Spiritual Blessings wherewith God doth bless Christians in Christ Jesus In the opening of this I shall not exceed the bounds of the discoveries that the Holy-Ghost has made in this Chapter here are Spiritual Blessings enough comprized in this Chapter to take up our minds and to raise our hearts and therefore I shall confine my discourse to what I find herein discovered But before I enter into the particular resolve of it I shall only premise this in general that whatsoever I mention you must take it as the Lord intends it that is with all the advantages that are here discovered who hath Blessed us with all here is an Allness an Universality upon every Spiritual Blessing But you will say what are these Spiritual Blessings Ans I shall give you account of this in these six or seven Observations grounded upon so many several passages in this Chapter And The first is this by Spiritual Blessings I understand Eternal Election And Eternal Election is called Spiritual not because the Spirit is principal in giving being to it but because the Spirit is principal in the manage of it and in the application of it it is the Father that chooses us but it is the Spirit that manages the choice It is the Father that elects us before the Foundations of the World ay but it is the Spirit that is principally concerned in the insuring or in the accomplishing of this Election upon this or that Elect Person This Blessing the Apostle speaks of in verse 4. According says he as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love I pray do but observe it is an Election unto grace it is a choice that God has made from all Eternity A choice of grace and that unto the practice of grace Christians do but consider with your selves you are not only chosen to have your hearts sanctified but to have all the graces of the Spirit in your hearts exercised It is not only a personal but a practical holiness that the grace of God did eye in the Eternal choice that he made of you you it may be are under diverse Temptations under diverse fears of heart sometimes you can see something in your hearts and you bless God for that but you look into your lives and there is but little grace there and you look into you duties and it may be there is as little discoverable there but here is the Blessedness that I have stated ye are chosen that your Conversations should be filled with all practical Holiness and Godliness The Apostle clears it in that passage in the 4 verse That we should be holy and without blame before him Taking us in our whole complex consideration taking Person and Conversation God hath chosen us that we should pray without blame that we should praise him without blame that we should love him without blame and that we should be without blame before him in our whole Conversation and I pray do but observe how our Lord Jesus is concerned in the manage of this in the fifth Chapter of this same Epistle where the Apostle or rather the Holy-Ghost by the Apostle proposeth the Spiritual Husband as a pattern unto Christian temporal Husbands says he Husbands love your Wives even as Christ loved the Church verse 25. But wherein doth the excellency or eminency of Christs Love appear unto his Spouse You shall find it in the 27. verse He loved them and he goes on to Love and Love and Love he Loves them and he dyes for them he Loves them he interceeds for them he Loves them and he rules them he Loves them and he enlightens them he Loves them and he strengthens them ay but what is the great manifestation of his Love Why saies he that he might present it a Glorious Church to himself not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing